1967 was a turning point for Sky Saxon, Daryl Hooper, Jan Savage and Rick Andridge, a moment where the hard work of the previous two years was finally paying off. The first six months likely represented the zenith of the Seedsâ€™ career, as the ascendant quartet seemed completely in the vanguard, with a major national hit under their belt, fan pandemonium wherever they went, and a public profile inflated by a new manager, the voluble â€œLord Timâ€ Hudson. The eponymous debut album and its sequel, â€œA Web Of Soundâ€, had solidified the attitude implied by the hits, and saw the group made defiantly outrageous gestures, both musically and visually. What would their next move be?

The ensuing album, â€œFutureâ€, seemed at once both calculated and confused. For some, it represents the Seedsâ€™ grand psychedelic statement, a mind-blowing articulation of the flower power movement of which they had been proclaimed torchbearers. To others, â€œFutureâ€ is Sky Saxonâ€™s folly: an over-egged, acid-damaged pudding that submerged the true power of the band with meaningless grandeur. The truth lies somewhere between. A narcissistic over-confidence made Sky feel the need to now augment Daryl, Jan and Rick in the studio with numerous overdubs â€“ strings, harp, tuba â€“ on hastily cobbled material that brimmed with bizarre lyrical concepts. On certain tracks the combination worked fine, on others it seemed almost like a parody of psychedelia. Nevertheless, â€œFutureâ€ contains many fan favourites such as â€˜Painted Dollâ€™, â€˜Flower Ladyâ€™, â€˜Two Fingersâ€™ and â€˜A Thousand Shadowsâ€™.

From this point on, Skyâ€™s grip on the qualities that made him distinctive would only loosen further, but on â€œFutureâ€ he was attentive enough to pull things together, and the album has enough fine moments and flashes of the old Sky Saxon laser-like focus to ensure its reputation today as something of a flawed gem. Our deluxe 2CD edition thus seeks to reappraise the Seedsâ€™ psychedelic experiment, and presents it in the very best sound quality. Disc One features the remastered stereo album mix, along with a selection of period mono mixes, including several that are previously unissued. A second disc, â€œContact High: The Future Sessionsâ€, is a fascinating eavesdrop upon the albumâ€™s creation at Hollywoodâ€™s famed Gold Star studio, utilising outtakes, alternate mixes and previously unheard versions to demonstrate that, beneath all the overdubs and florid platitudes, on â€œFutureâ€ the Seedsâ€™ electricity crackled as strongly as ever. A 48-page booklet crammed with rarely-seen images tells the story behind this unusual but nevertheless compelling episode in the career of these garage kings.

By Alec Palao

DISC ONE: FUTURE
Stereo GNP Crescendo LP GNPS 2038 (1967)

1.

Intro/March of the Flower Children

2:52

2.

Travel with your Mind

3:10

3.

Out of the Question

2:16

4.

Painted Doll

3:24

5.

Flower Lady and her Assistant

3:29

6.

Now a Man

3:21

7.

A Thousand Shadows

2:30

8.

Two Fingers Pointing On You

3:13

9.

Where is the Entrance Way to Play

2:52

10.

Six Dreams

3:11

11.

Fallin'

7:45

Bonus Tracks - Mono Mixes

12.

Chocolate River (2013)

3:09

13.

Sad and Alone (2013)

2:22

14.

The Wind Blows You Hair (Version 2) (2013)

3:09

15.

Travel with your Mind LP GNP 2038 (1967)

3:06

16.

Painted Doll LP GNP 2038 (1967)

3:23

17.

Flower Lady and Her Assistant LP GNP 2038 (1967)

3:17

18.

Now a Man LP GNP 2038 (1967)

3:20

19.

Two Fingers Pointing On You LP GNP 2038 (1967)

3:11

20.

Where is the Entrance Way to Play LP GNP 2038 (1967)

2:52

21.

Six Dreams (Alt mix) (2013)

3:01

22.

Fallin' LP GNP 2038 (1967)

7:42

23.

The Navy Swings (2013)

1:03

DISC TWO: CONTACT HIGH: the "Future" sessions

1.

Rides Too Long (2013)

2:58

2.

Chocolate River GNPS 2107 (1977)

3:10

3.

Flower Lady and Her Assistant (Take 1) (2013)

4:11

4.

Where is the Entrance Way to Play (Alt mix) (2013)

2:55

5.

Sad and Alone LP GNPD 2218 (1993)

2:45

6.

Contact High (Take 1) (2013)

3:35

7.

Travel with your Mind (Alt mix) (2013)

3:12

8.

Six Dreams (Take 4) (2013)

3:00

9.

Two Fingers Pointing On You (Take 1) (2013)

3:03

10.

The Wind Blows Your Hair (Version 2) LP GNPS 2107 (1977)

3:08

11.

March of the Flower Children (Alt mix) (2013)

1:49

12.

A Thousand Shadows (Take 7) (2013)

2:27

13.

Gyspsy Plays His Drums (Version 1) (2013)

5:33

14.

Satisfy You (Version 1) (2013)

2:32

15.

900 Million People Daily All Making Love (full length version)LP GNPD 2218 (1993)